Princess Justice
by CrazySmith
Summary: Hawkmoth's original plan successfully worked. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was now Princess Justice, able to force the truth out of everyone in Paris. With her akumatization comes the defeat of Ladybug. Can Adrien Agreste save his friend and Paris all on his own, or will this be the end of Chat Noir?
1. Chapter 1

"Verity Queen, Princess Justice. I am Scarlet Moth. Since the innocent isn't to be believed in anymore, I'm giving you both the power to expose the truth. As for you my desperate loyal ones, disappointed by she who you once admired so much, I'm glad to have you back. In return, you will bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."

"They shall know the truth." Marinette said, her voice tinted with a rage that had never been heard from. Her hands reached for her ears, taking off the earring she always wore and clenching them in her left fist. Then, darkness wrapped all around her body, soaking her in an evil she had never known. When she emerged her clothes had changed to a simple purple dress with a white sash around her shoulders. A purple stripe of cloth covered her eyes and she gripped at the sword in her right hand. No longer was she Marinette. She was now Princess Justice. When she spoke again there was no anger in her tone, only coldness.

"Ladybug is no more. Scour Paris for Chat Noir. He is the only one that remains."

"What!" gasped Chloe, Adrien, and Alya, the only ones to have resisted the akumatization. None of them could process what they had just witnessed, let alone what Princess Justice had just said. Alya's body shook with frustration, wanting nothing more than to help her best friend but knowing she could do nothing against six akumas. Chloe slide to the ground, chomping down on her thumb nail, all to keep herself from exploding and becoming the first victim to Princess Justice. Adrien just stared at the back of Marinette's head, trying to figure out what she meant by Ladybug being gone. She had just been akumatized, he had seen it with his own eyes, there was no way she could have already defeated Ladybug. Unless…

Adrien's glaze drew down to her left hand, curled into a fist. The hand that was holding her earrings. The earrings that she never took off. The earrings that her kwami needed to transform her into Ladybug. Marinette Dupen-Chang was Ladybug

His eyes grew wide, his stomach twisted into deep knots, and he heard nothing but white noise. He felt sick, as if he could faint. How could he not have known that Marinette, the girl who sat behind him and one of his closest friends, was actually Ladybug, the girl of his dreams and his partner? They had the same eyes, the same voice, even the same hairstyle! Could he really have been so blinded by Ladybug's light that he failed to see the shadow of Marinette that rescinded within her? Was he really so infatuated with Ladybug that he didn't notice the similar feels he had for Marinette? Was it somehow his fault that both Ladybug and Marinette were now lost to the void that Princess Justice had sprung from?

The other akumas ran from the room, their mission having been assigned. However, Princess Justice didn't move a muscle as the telepathic butterfly mask formed around her eyes. And though Adrien couldn't know what Hawkmoth was saying, he could almost hear the demonic laughter from the madman. Hawkmoth had won and he knew it. For without Ladybug, no one could fully stop him. The thought made Adrien anger.

Suddenly, Princess Justice turned and walked to the corner of the locker where Lila was standing. Adrien, Alya, and Chloe, all enveloped in their own anger and anguish, had nearly forgotten that Lila was in the room, but Princess Justice hadn't. She lifted up her sword and pointed it at Lila, the tip nearly cutting the italian girls nose. Princess Justice, with her dead voice, said "You shall tell the truth."

"What, like your sword is suppose to scare me into submission. You look as if you could barely hold it up." Lila replied in her arrogant and callous voice, not caring if others saw her real nature.

For a moment, the room was still with dread as they all awaited for Princess Justice's next move. Then, slowly, her hand advanced to the purple cloth covering her eyes and slide it to her forehead. And while only Lila could look into her eyes, the others knew that by the way Lila's body tensed that nothing good came from it. "Now, the truth." Princess Justice repeated.

Lila's mouth kept opening and closing, as if she were struggling with what to do. But soon she gave in. "I did it, alright! I took the test answers and shoved them into your backpack! I pretended to fall down the stairs so it looked like you pushed me! And I planted my grandma's necklace into your locker! I did! I did all of it just so you would get in trouble and get expelled!"

Lila's hands flew to cover her mouth, preventing her from exposing all the other lies that she had ever told. As Princess Justice slide the cloth back over her eyes, the corners of her lips slightly quirked upwards in satifasication. It had been the first sign of emotion she showed since her akumatization. It wasn't long until her face turned stone again. Then she turned to walk out of the locker room, probably to give Hawkmoth the Ladybug miraculous.

Adrien couldn't let Marinette walk out the door or else he would lose her. He also couldn't transform and let his identity be known to both the girls and the Hawkmoth. So, in a moment of bravery or sheer stupidity, he honestly didn't know, he leapt forward. He grabbed her left hand, hoping to pry it open and grab Ladybug's earring. Unfortunately, she spun around quickly and lift heer sword to his throat. It wasn't close enough to cut him but it was a warning that she would if he continued. Rather than give in, he tightened his grip on her wrist and leaning close to her.

"You have to fight it Marinette. You're still in there, I know it. Right now, we need you back. We need Ladybug back. So please don't give in." Adrien whispered so only Marinette could hear him. He didn't want to expose Marinette's secret, not unless he needed to.

"There is no more Marinette or Ladybug. There is only Princess Justice." She whispered in reply. Then she shoved Adrien, causing him to lose his grip. His back collided with the wall of lockers so hard that he fell to the floor in pain. When he looked up Princess Justice had already walked out the doorway, taking Ladybug's miraculous with her.


	2. Chapter 2

After Princess Justice left, her presence still filled the room. No one could move, no one could speak, they could hardly breathe, fearing that she may come back and recant her mercy. Adrien found this situation to be ironic, as Princess Justice was just as breath-taking in her performance as Ladybug was, though for different reasons.

The first to break the empty void was Lila as a cruel, snide laugh protruded from her lips. The dread that had overcome Adrien had transformed into anger with the sound of the Italian girl's laugh. How could she be laughing at a time like this? Was she actually happy about Marinette's akumatization? Had she actually planned for Marinette to get akumatized? Questions about Lila's allegiance and how malice she truly was started to invade his thoughts. He turned towards Lila, intending to interrogate her when Alya surged forward and slapped the Italian girl's face.

"How could you? What has Marinette ever done for you to go and stab her in the back like this?" Alya screamed into Lila's face. Adrien had a feeling that Alya was taking these recent developments pretty harshly. He couldn't imagine the pain of watching your best friend succumb to despair and anger, unable to help and prevent the inevitable akumatization.

Lila's laughter had died down, reaching for the spot where Alya's hand had connected with her face. Her eyes hardened, glaring at everyone.

"You want to know why I did it? I did it because she was annoying, with her whole goodie-two-shoes act. Plus, she was always getting in my way so I had to get rid of her. Nothing more to it."

Alya grabbed Lila by the front of her shirt and dragged the Italian girl out of the locker room, slamming the door behind her. Adrien was shocked that she hadn't punched Lila after her crude remarks about her friend (he would be lying if he said he hadn't considered it). Her entire body was trembling with rage and frustration. Air expelled from her lungs in quick, shallow breaths. He had never seen the Creole girl so distressed.

"You need to cool down Césaire," Chloe said, finally allowing herself to speak since Marinette's akumatization. She stood up from her spot on the ground and strutted towards the other girl, taking hold of her right shoulder in an attempt to stop her shaking. Then she turned towards Adrien and continued speaking, "And Adrikins you need to buck up as well. Honestly, you look like you're about to puke."

Alya snatched the blonde girl's arm and pushed her away. "Why do you even care? You don't even like Marinette!"

"You're right, Dupian-Cheng's not my favorite person to hang out with. But right now Hawkmoth has not only akumatized her, but is akumatizing everyone who is exuding any negative emotions. So while she might not be my favorite person, I know she wouldn't be happy with the knowledge that anyone, let only her best friend, had been akumatized because of her." Chloe retorted, crossing her arms over her midsection.

Realization sparked in the Creole girl's hazel eyes. Then, taking a deep breath, she was able to steady herself again. "You're right Chloe. Thank you." She replied, her tone more sincere than she had ever used towards the other girl.

The blonde girl scoffed, her cheeks tinted in a light shade of red, "Of course I'm right, I'm always right. Besides Ladybug, along with my help as Queen Bee of course, will be able to change Dupian-Cheng back in no time."

If Adrien had looked like he was about to puke before, he definitely felt he could hurl his lunch up now. With Marinette akumatized, there was no Ladybug to turn her back to normal. Sure, he as Chat Noir could possibly free her from her curse but he couldn't purify the akuma without Ladybug. And at this point, he would be shocked if Hawkmoth didn't already have the ladybug miraculous in his grasp, gleefully awaiting for the cat miraculous to be delivered. All he could really do was stop Princess Justice today. However, the akuma would then fly off and start creating an army of duplicates of Marinette's akumatized self until she gave into her anger or sadness again. There wasn't anything he could do to help fix the situation, he would only be delaying his defeat. What could he do? What should he do?

"Damn it!" Adrien shouted, striking the lockers with his curled up fist. His face fell into the grasps of his other hand. Was he really so useless without Ladybug by his side? No, there had to be something he could do to save her! But what?

"Adrikins, are you alright?" The blonde boy, momentarily pulling himself out of his torment, looked up to see both of the girls staring at him. Bewilderment was etched onto their faces, neither had expected him to have such an outburst. Having been so engrossed in his thoughts, he hadn't even realized how frightening he must have been.

In order to calm them down, he gave one of his model smiles, saying, "Yeah Chloe, I'm alright. I'm just worried about Marinette, that's all."

It was a terrible lie, he knew, but what else could he say to cover for his actions. He just hoped that they would fall for it-

"That's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard." And Alya didn't fall for it. He wasn't that surprised. Her shocked expression had melted away to reveal the fierce gleam that she always got in her eyes when she was determined to get answers. "You are one of the most calm, level-headed people I know. And you bang on the lockers just now aligns more with a person who is mad rather than a person who is worried. So for you to get this mad over Marinette's akumatization means that there is something you're not telling us, so spill it."

Adrien stood in contemplation for a minute, his green eyes never losing contact with Alya's hazel ones. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to expose Marinette's secret as it wasn't his to tell. But he knew that any lie he told right now the Creole girl wouldn't believe him. Conflict stirred within his gut and his heart, weighing what path he should take. Then he decided on a path. He only hoped that Marinette would forgive him.

"I don't think Ladybug will be able to save the day this time."

"Wh-why do you th-think that?" Alya was clearly startled by his response.

Adrien took a deep breath, "Because Marinette is Ladybug."


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh please, Marinette Dupain-Cheng is Ladybug. That's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" Chloe exclaimed. Adrien knew it was probably a hard thing for her to believe. Her least favorite person and the hero she looked up to being the same person would be difficult for anyone to comprehend.

However, Alya didn't seem to be paying attention, too deep in her contemplation. All her memories of Marinette and Ladybug kept replaying in her mind, never pausing. Could it really be true? If so, what detail had she missed? How did Adrien figure it out before her? Then she realized something. It might not be enough to give the blonde boys claim any real merit, but it was something.

"No, I think he might be right about Marinette being Ladybug."

"Oh really, what proof do you have?"

"For starters, Marinette never seems to be around whenever Ladybug is around. Even when the akuma attacks have been at school, she is always gone when Ladybug shows up." Alya stated with confidence.

However, a laugh of disbelief escaped from the blonde girl's throat. "Really, that's the evidence you've come up with to prove that Dupain-Cheng is Ladybug. The reason she can never be seen when Ladybug is around is because she is a coward. There are lots of people who run and hide during an akuma attack. Just because she doesn't run towards the danger like you doesn't make her ladybug." Chloe retorted.

The Creole girl wasn't all that surprised by the other girl's stubborn refusal. Her proof was admittedly weak, so her reaction should have been expected. She would have to come up with something more compelling. Suddenly, a switch flipped off in her head.

"Then how do you explain the people she's picked to be miraculous users."

For a single moment, Adrien's breath was stuck in his throat. What did she mean by the other miraculous users? She couldn't be talking about him, right? There was no way she could have figured it out. No, of course not, she had been focused on Marinette and not him.

Even Chloe was shocked by what the other girl had said, but then her face transformed into one of smug understanding. "If you're talking about me, then I think you've forgotten that Ladybug didn't give me the bee miraculous, I found it. Besides, we've met plenty of times before so she could obviously tell that I was worthy, so she let me keep it."

"No, I didn't forget. In fact, I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about myself. How could Ladybug chose me for the fox miraculous if she didn't know me."

A stunned silence filled the room. The blonde boy couldn't believe that she would just reveal her secret identity like that. And for what, to prove that her best friend was indeed one of Paris' heros? Though he wasn't surprised to hear that she was Rena Rouge.

"Even if you were talking about yourself, my point still stands. You and Ladybug have interacted a lot before you were given your miraculous. She sat for an interview with you, so I think she could get a pretty good idea about who you are and if you were worthy or not." Chloe retorted, refusing to back down.

"Then wha-" Alya started, but reconsidered. Was she really about to expose Nino's secret identity? Sure, telling them about her identity was fine since it was hers, but Nino's wasn't for her to tell. And really, why was she trying so hard to prove Chloe wrong. Ok, she knew why, proving the blonde girl wrong was always fun. "Nevermind, you're just blinded by your love for Ladybug to see the truth."

"It's not that I'm not considering, I just need to hear it from Dupain-Cheng to actually believe it." The blonde girl finally admitted, a look of displeasure crossing over her face. "What I can't understand is how you supposedly figured it out, Adrikins."

The blonde boy sucked in a deep breath. Of course they would want to know how he figured it out. He should have left the room when he had the chance, then he could be helping his lady out of her situation. Instead he stay and tell the girls about Marinette. But what would he have done if had left the locker room. Luckily, he didn't have to lie, at least not completely.

"When Mari- When Princess Justice said she had already defeated Ladybug I knew that couldn't be true since she had just been akumatized. But then I remembered that she had taken off her earrings and everything just started to make sense."

The Creole girl responded quickly, "Ok, then what are we going to do with this information? Should we tell Chat Noir?"

"Oh trust me, that cat already knows what happened to his lady." replied a high pitched voice.

Alya and Chloe looked around, confused about where the voice had come from. Adrien, on the other hand, froze in his place. What on Earth was Plagg doing!

As if hearing his thoughts, the cat kwami flew out of his shirt and out into the open space. "Ah, come on you weren't just gonna reveal Ladybug's identity without revealing your own."


	4. Chapter 4

Adrien's eyes scrunched up, his hands balled into fists. Saying he was mad at Plagg would have been an enormous understatement. What was Plagg thinking? He mentally screamed in his head, not having enough emotional energy to even whisper. How could his kwami do this? Sure, the little black cat sometimes did crazy and stupid things without thinking. Sure, he had let himself and Ladybug's kwami be discovered by a teacher, which almost caused his identity to be revealed. But Plagg had never intentionally tried to reveal Adrien's identity. So why was he doing so now?

"Adrikins…" A high-pitched voice muttered, breaking him from his thoughts.

With a deep breath, the blonde boy opened his eyes to analyze the scene. God, it felt like hours had gone by since they had all entered that locker room, yet it had to have been half an hour at most. Alya, with her palms pressed together, hovering in front of her mouth, stared keenly at the little kwami. She looked as if she were studying the creature, though he already guessed that she had figured out what the creature signified. Meanwhile, Chloe stood in utter shock, her mouth agape and eyes widened. The fact that she had never expected her childhood friend to be Chat Noir, it made him feel a little bit of an accomplishment.

Then his eyes wandered over to Plagg, expecting to see his usual smirky grin. However, the only emotion that showed on the little black cat's face was one of sorrow and worry. The look that he would give Adrien when he was concerned for him.

Now the boy felt like an idiot. Of course, the little cat would be worried, whether it be for him or for Ladybug's kwami. With a sad smile, the boy held out his hand for the kwami, an offering of understanding, and thanks. Plagg flew over and landed in his hand, accepting it.

"Guys, this is Plagg. He is my kwami." Adrien said, feeling better than he had initially been.

"So, you're Chat Noir." Alya replied, but it was more of a statement than a question. The blonde boy nodded his head, hoping he didn't need to explain himself further. Before she could continue, Chloe decided to speak for herself.

"How can that be possible? You and Chat Noir don't resemble each other at all! Sure, you may look slightly similar, but neither of you act in the same way!"

While the blonde girl just kept piling on reasons as to why he couldn't be Chat Noir, the boy found it to be an excellent opportunity to think. There was no he could take on all of the akumas alone; he knew that. So he would definitely get the fox and bee miraculous for Alya and Chloe, though those are the only allies he could have since he didn't know the other ones. But he would also have to figure out where Master Fu is hiding. He remembered Marinette… no Ladybug had said that their master had moved locations after that amok had attacked him. However, he didn't even know where his original position was, so who knows where he had moved too. However, it was still plausible. Yeah, so he was going to find Master Fu, get the bee and fox miraculous, and then -

"How are you going to save Marinette and get her miraculous back?" The Creole girl's voice pierced through Adrien.

Instantly, he froze where he stood. All of his thoughts had flown away, leaving not a single trace in his mind. Truth be told, he didn't know what to do about Marinette much less how to get her miraculous back. His previous panic and frustration started to bubble up within him once more. Before he could burst out again, Plagg decided to cut in.

"Hey, leave the kid alone! He hasn't had much time to process everything yet. He needs time to come up with a plan."

For all their disagreements, Adrien knew Plagg would always have his back. That helped snapped Adrien back to his right frame of mind. While Ladybug could conjure up a scheme in at most a minute, he couldn't and needed more time to think. However, while he didn't have the full plan laid out, he still had time to work on the details. The akumas were only after Chat Noir, so if he didn't transform, then they could delay the battle for just a bit longer. But for now, they could start with phase one.

"It's alright Plagg, I've come up with something of the plan." He pronounced, trying to produce a morsel of confidence in his voice. "Firstly, I won't be able to fight that many akumas on my own, so I'm going to get both of your miraculous. We'll have to meet in a place that is inconspicuous as to not attract the akumas' attention."

"How about we just meet back up in here." The blonde girl suggested. "I doubt the akumas are going to come back here, and everyone else in the school has either already found their perfect hiding spot or has fled the premises."

"Good point. Alright, you two stay here while I go get your miraculouses."

The blonde boy turned around and ran out of the locker room. If he was going to have to look for Master Fu, then he better do so now then later. Before he could exit out of the school, he heard someone calling his name.

"Adrien! Wait up!" Alya shouted, racing towards him. Once she had caught up to him, she halted her steps and held onto his shoulder as if to make sure he didn't leave before she said her peace. "I'm sorry for pressuring you back there, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, Alya." Adrien replied, taking her hand off his shoulder. "I know you're just worried about Marinette. I am also worried about her, but I know she wouldn't want us to be. Even without Ladybug's help, we'll save her."

Before he could take off to start his search, the Creole girl snatched onto his wrist.

"I'm not done. When you are getting our miraculouses, make sure you grab Carapace's as well."

"What? I don't know who he is."

"You don't, but I do. I'll fill Carapace in on the situation and bring him to the locker room. Just bring his miraculous as well. After all, four heroes would be better than three." She confided.

Alya's hazel eyes pleaded with him, begging him to trust her. She could be lying about the identity of Carapace; however, she wasn't the type to lie in dire straits. If she really knew who Carapace was, then he could be a big help in defeating Princess Justice. So he decided to trust her.

"Alright, I will." Adrien responded, sprinting off to find out where the miraculous guardian had hidden.


	5. Chapter 5

Alya had walked into the school's library, trying to find Nino. He was not only needed to help fix the situation, but she needed a shoulder to lean onto as well. When it came to her emotions, she always tried not to let her fear and sadness overcome her heart. But with everything that had happened that day, her walls naturally crumbled to the invading emotions. She needed to let them out before going into the battle, and this would be her only chance to do so.

At first, she couldn't tell if there was anybody in the room. It wasn't uncommon for people to flee when somebody had been akumatized. At school, if someone had succumbed to Hawkmoth's power, then classes weren't able to start back up until they were back to normal. Nobody ever tries to stop those who run from the danger. She just hoped that Nino hadn't been one of the runners this time.

When listening carefully, the auburn-haired girl could hear the low thumping of someone's music. Following the noises, she discovered her boyfriend sitting in one of the book aisles. His headphones covered his ears, the volume of music at its loudest, and his eyes were shut. She had learned that this was his way of blocking out the world, either from angry or fear. She didn't want to disturb him, but right now, the world needed him.

She kneeled down to the spot next to him, grabbing his shoulder in the way down. When her touch hadn't registered to him, she slightly shook his shoulder as if to wake him from a nap. The boys' whole body froze for a single instant before jumping away. Without pausing his music, he ripped his headphones off of his head. He turned to look at her, his eyes widened with fright at the thought that an akuma had come to attack him. All she could give him was a shy, gentle smile in apology. She hadn't meant to scare him, but an akuma attack could make even the bravest people become cowardice.

"Oh hey," Nino started, letting out a sigh of relief. "Sorry for jumping away, I just thought that you were one of the akumas that had come out of the locker room."

"It's fine," Alya replied. "I understand." She felt as if she could barely speak, her throat tight with tension. She had come here to make him understand the dire straits that they were in, yet she couldn't get any more words to come out of her mouth. So instead of completing her mission, she laid her head down onto her boyfriend's shoulder.

She thought that this wouldn't be a problem. That, somehow, she would be able to share all that she had learned with one of the people she trusted the most. For her, it was usually the easiest thing in the world to do. But that wasn't the case today.

The Creole girl knew her troubled lied with her emotions regarding the knowledge and not with the weight of it. She didn't really have bad feelings concerning the secret identities of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Honestly, she loved the fact that two of her best friends were actual superheroes and were always saving the day! No, her real problem was with Lila's confession, the exposing of her true nature. Truth be told, she was still furious about how much of a lying snake the Italian girl turned out to be. No one in class even suspected that she could have been in anyway malicious. But Marinette had known. She had even tried to warn everyone about the girl, but no one believed her. Alya hadn't even believed her best friend, chalking the animosity up as just her just being jealous of having a new love rival. She had to wonder, maybe if she had had faith in Marinette from the beginning, this whole crisis could have been avoided. That maybe she wouldn't have transformed into Princess Justice, that the ladybug miraculous would still be with her hands rather than in Hawkmoths. That thought caused the real pain in her heart.

Nino wrapped his right arm behind his girlfriend's shoulder. Slowly, he kept moving his hand up and down her arm, trying to soothe her worries. The couple sat in silence for a few moments, trying to enjoy each other's comfort. Then, the boy finally broke the tranquility.

"What's wrong?" Of course, he knew something was wrong. He seemed to have the ability to read her like a book. She could have been sleeping, and he would still be able to sense her suffering.

The auburn-haired girl lifted her head up from its perch, solemnly gazing into the amber orbs of her dearest. If she didn't do this now, then she would never get another chance to.

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell a single soul about it." The tan boy cautiously nodded his head, not sure what he agreed too.

Then Alya told him everything. About Marinette's akumatization and the rise of Princess Justice. About Lila's confession and their near fight. About Adrien's realization of the person behind Ladybug's mask. About her admission of being Rena Rouge. About Adrien revealing himself as Chat Noir and his current plan on how to save the day. She even talked about her feelings on all that had happened so far. She left no stone unturned.

When she concluded her recanting, she noticed that Nino's eyes were wide open and his jaw looked as if it would fall to the ground at any moment. Once he realized that she had finished, he quickly tried to compose himself before remarking.

"Whoa, that's a lot to take in. I'm not really sure I know everything."

The Creole girl had gone back to her original position of resting her body against her boyfriend's side, using his shoulder as a headrest. However, he decided to move to where he would be sitting in front of her. He reached out and held her hand, their fingers interlocking.

"But what I do know is that you shouldn't dwell on the past. Marinette might be upset that no one believed her about Lila, but she's not going to blame you for her akumatization. I also know that everything is going to be alright. Marinette will be back to herself in no time, especially when we're all there to help her." The brunette commented, showing her his reassuring, goofy grin.

His words made it a little bit easier to breathe.

"You're right." She remarked, tilting forward so that both their foreheads were touching. "Since when have you been so good with words?"

"Babe, I've always been good with words. Didn't you know, I'm the word guru of the entire class, you just happen to be rubbing off on me."

The girl let out a laugh, pushing her boyfriend away. She then got up and reached her hand out to him.

"Well, how about we go wait for Adrien in the locker room? What do you say, word guru."

Nino happily accepted her hand and stood up, glad that he was able to make her feel better. The couple then walked out of the library, never letting go of the other's hand. And for the first time that day, Alya final felt relaxed.

—

Adrien had never felt more stressed in his life than he did at that moment. He didn't know where to start when searching for Master Fu. However, his feet were moving of their own accord. He hadn't been able to stop running since he had left the school grounds. He only paused to take a breath when he reached the park that was across from Marinette's house.

Why had he come here? Was it guilt that drove his feet towards her house?

_No_, he mentally spoke. _Ladybug goes to see him often, so he would have to be in an area that she knows the best. And that area would be close to her house._ It was a weak excuse, even he knew that.

He trudged towards the nearest bench and sat down. He leaned his head back, eyes closed, taking a moment to consider his options. Paris was a big city, the largest in all of France, and the guardian could be anywhere. He couldn't risk transforming into Chat Noir and alerting the akumas, causing an early fight and his defeat. So he had to find one man in a huge city on foot. That could take hours, time of which he didn't have.

The blond boy sighed, "Plagg is there any way you can help me find Master Fu?"

The tiny cay flew out of his shirt. "Sorry, kid, but I don't have a clue where currently is. The old man moved to a secret location after he was attacked by that sentimonster. I haven't been told where he went."

"Well, can't you sense the other kwamis?"

"Negatory. If I could, then I would have known who Ladybug was from the very beginning."

Adrien's hand flew into his hair, messing up all the straightened strands. His frustration grew every minute he continued to sit there. But where could he go? Without a plan, he wouldn't be able to find the guardian and defeat Princess Justice on the same day.

"Do you really think I can do this?" He questioned dejectedly. He had never really done the job of Ladybug before. Sure, he was Ladybug for a day, but that was different. Hee had never done her work outside of the costume. He didn't know what to do.

Though the question was meant to be rhetorical, the black cat answered anyway. "Adrien, I know you. You are a lot more capable than you think you are. If anyone could have done this, it's you."

At times, he couldn't tell if Plagg was genuine or if he was just lying. The cat kwami could sometimes come off as a jerk, not taking things seriously, which caused them some discourse. Nonetheless, it was always in these moments, when Plagg tried to cheer him up, that he could see the truth. The kwami did care for him and regard him in a high manner.

"You're right." The boy let a small smile grace his face. "Come on, we've still got a guardian to find."

Adrien stood up, opening his shirt so that the kwami could fly back in. With renewed hope, he was about to exit the park when a voice called out to him.

"Excuse me, young man, would you care for a drink?"

His whole body stiffened, not allowing for the slightest twitch of a muscle. He hadn't even noticed that someone else was in the park. He was usually much more alertive when talking with Plagg. He really must be losing his edge. But that voice… it sounded familiar. He couldn't quite place it, though he knew he had heard it before.

The blonde boy wandered over to the concessions stand, wary of who he would find. Once he reached the stand, he noticed that it was Master Fu standing behind the counter. At first, he was surprised to spot the older man, but that swiftly melted into solace. Guess the search wouldn't take him as long as he thought.

"Master!" Adrien shouted, jumping over the counter to join the other man. "I need your help!"

Fu's eyes widened at the boldness of his words and actions. "What is it that I can help you with, Adrien?"

Adrien proceeded to inform Master Fu about the catastrophe that was walking around and calling herself Princess Justice. He could tell that the older man was shocked to hear that Marinette had fallen prey to Hawkmoth's tactics. It wasn't every day that Ladybug had been defeated before she even got a chance to fight. The man wasn't good at hiding his fear.

"So, Ladybug will be out of commission for this battle. And you came to get some allies to help defeat her."

The boy nodded his head in agreement.

"And you know of Ladybug's true identity." The older man phrased it as a statement rather than a question. The boy continued to nod his head. He had hoped Fu would overlook that little detail in his story, but he hadn't. It seemed his time as Chat Noir would soon come to an end.

"I always knew this day would come." The guardian sighed. He stared at his downtrodden pupil with understanding eyes. "Don't worry Adrien, I'm not going to take away your miraculous."

A confused, blonde eyebrow perked up on Adrien's face. He knew the rule, so why wouldn't Master Fu enact them? As if reading his mind, the older man decided to answer before he could even voice the question.

"Truth be told, I very much like you and Marinette. You're both very special kids. It would be a shame for you both to lose your miraculous before you've even fully realized their powers. Plus, I owe you for saving my life."

As the guardian went to get the miracle box, the boy bent his head forward. He whispered a thank you so faint that he could barely even hear it. When the master turned towards his pupil, he returned the gesture.

Soon, the boy had gathered the fox, bee, and turtle miraculouses and was heading out when Fu made one last comment.

"You are to return the miraculous after the mission. After you have gotten the ladybug miraculous back. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand," Adrien replied, running back towards the school. Now he wasn't sure whether he could get Ladybug's earrings back or not.


	6. Chapter 6

WARNING! THIS CHAPTER DOES CONTAIN SOME VIOLENCE! I MAY BE OVERREACTING, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

* * *

Adrien raced down the street, his feet pounding into the ground. His breath became more labored with each step. He wanted to slow for a single moment to rest but couldn't. He had been spotted. And she was gaining on him.

As he turned a corner, his destination within sight, his foot slipped out from under him. His descent to the ground was quick, his left knee slammed against it. A scream was perched on the edge of his throat, desperate to escape. But he didn't want to alert any more akumas that might have been in the area. One akuma was already too much for him to handle.

As he attempted to stand, a sharp pain shot through his leg, bringing him back down. Realizing he couldn't get up, he crawled into an alleyway. He did his best to hide amongst the trash littered in the alley, hoping the shadows would help conceal him. All he could really do was pray that she wouldn't notice him.

He froze as a bright, pale face appeared at the entranceway. When Refleckta walked into the alley, Adrien held his breath. The sound of her red heels tapping against the ground rang in his ears. It bounced off the walls and took over the silence that had once ruled. He could feel his nerves on edge, the sweat dripping down his face. Of all the days he could have been caught, this was by far the worst yet.

"Whatever," Reflectka scoffed. She turned and left, giving up her pursuit of the boy.

Even as she grew further away, he still couldn't be sure she had indeed left. When her shadow hadn't reappeared in the last few moments, the blonde finally moved. His body quivered, adrenaline still rushing through his veins. A sigh escaped from his lungs, he wasn't out of the clear yet. He needed to get back to his friends.

Using the wall as support, he got off the ground and hobbled out of the alleyway. While the walk would only take a few minutes, it felt like an eternity due to his knee. He had never felt a pain more excruciating in his civilian form. With each slight step came the thousand needles jabbing into his leg. He could hardly bear it. But he had to press on. He couldn't allow Marinette to suffer any longer.

Eventually, he reached the school and was making his way up to the second floor. However, he hadn't even made it halfway up the stairs before his left knee caved in. He rolled down the stairs, the booms from his crashing body filled the courtyard. His back hit the floor in an unceremonious bump. He was just lucky that his head hadn't bashed into one of the steps.

It was ironic that the akuma battle hadn't even begun, yet Adrien's body already felt too battered to continue. He could feel his muscles starting to go numb. He didn't even attempt to get up this time. Instead, he continued to lie on the cold, stone floor.

Plagg zoomed out of the boy's shirt, a worried expression controlling his face. The cat spoke, "Adrien?" his voice dripped with panic, "Adrien!?". He wanted to respond, to calm the kwami down, but the aching of his body silenced him. The agony was sucking up all his energy, leaving only the shell of the boy for all to see.

Just as his eyes were shutting, the kwami zoomed to the next floor and into the locker room. It wasn't long before he could hear the opening of a door, quickly followed by the hushed tones from several voices. Then came the shuffling of feet as they descended the stairs. As someone started to call out his name, the last of his consciousness began to drift away. He didn't fight it, allowing the world to go dark.

—

Chat Noir strolled through the city, the streets void of any life. There was not a sound to be heard, his own footsteps noiseless as he moved. There were no gusts of wind nor a single cloud in the sky. The world was all grey or white, not a single vibrant color within sight. A sense of isolation crept throughout his body, one he had felt many times before. However, this time was different. When Paris was barren of all its attributes, the joyful city became an eerie desert.

_Where was everyone?_ The boy questioned. Then, in the distance, he saw Ladybug. She stood in the middle of the street, a drop of color in the achromatic sea of the city. Her sparkling blue eyes stared into his own, brimming with confidence. The sight eased his mind, knowing that he wasn't alone anymore.

Before he could call out to her, she ran down the street. Using her yoyo to propel herself, she jumped off the ground and landed on a nearby lamppost.

"Hurry up! You don't want to fall too far behind, kitty!" She shouted, taking off again. The boy followed after her, a smile forming on his face. The pair leaped across the Paris skyline as he continually chased after his lady. He tried to catch up to her, moving the fastest he could. However, the distance between them only seemed to grow wider. But that wasn't the only thing he noticed.

The longer the chase went on, the more of the world would be restored. With each rooftop Ladybug landed on, the color would be returned, dripping down the building's exterior. The higher she would jump in the sky, a cloud would form in as she fell back to earth. Every avenue she passed over, the cheers of people could be heard once more. Only her presence could restore the city from its dreadful state. And Chat Noir was amazed by it.

Eventually, Ladybug climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower. When she reached the top of the tower, she didn't take off again. Instead, she stood on the small platform and waited for him. He was glad that the chase was over so that he could finally talk to her. When he reached the platform, he didn't find the superheroine he always adored. Instead, there only stood the girl who had become one of his very first friends.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

She leaned her forearms against the railing, her profile facing his way. Her pigtails moved with the breeze. Her figure was framed by the sky, painted pink with the dwindling sunset. Her position was relaxed, at peace with the world around them. It was a sight that made the blonde's heart pound wildly against his chest. The scene was so simple. Yet, he couldn't have thought of anything more stunning.

Ladybug and Marinette indeed were one and the same. There was no arguing otherwise. Even if he had only recently discovered the truth, deep down, his heart had always known.

Having caught him in her peripheral, she turned to face him. When her azure eyes stared into his own, a wave of emotions rolled over his entire being. Then she gave him one of her kind, gentle smiles, one that always managed to ease his feelings. He wasn't able to handle the space between them anymore.

Taking two long strides, he walked towards the girl and wrapped her into a hug. Her hands clutched onto the front of his suit, not returning his gesture. He couldn't see her face, but he didn't care.

A few moments of silence passed before Chat Noir could speak. "I am so glad that you're alright, Marinette."

"Why didn't you do anything?" Her response was immediate, her tone laced with the malice. He didn't blame her for being mad.

"There was nothing I could do."

She scoffed, "Nothing you could do?! You knew just as well as I who Lila truly was! And yet you couldn't have done anything to stop her!" She shoved him away, and he finally caught sight of her face. With the heated way she had spoken, he expected to find her consumed with anger. What he didn't expect was for her face to be blank. It was neither calm nor cold, but bare of all emotions. And it was the most frightening thing that he had ever seen.

Before she could move too far away, he stretched his right hand out and grabbed her left.

"I didn't know that she was capable of doing that. I didn't know how much damage she was going to cause. If I had known, then I would have stopped her before she had even started. Please… I'm so sorry."

The boy closed his eyes, unable to look at her. Sadness burned his soul, tears threatened to spill out of his eyes. He wanted to make things right between them, but he didn't know-how.

"Adrien," Marinette whispered, leaning in so that their foreheads touched. She placed one hand on top of his heart, its heat spreading across his chest. Her other hand held his own, fingers fiddling with his ring. If she were doing this at any other time, he might have felt more serene. Instead, a tight knot formed in his gut.

"You couldn't stop Lila." She spoke abruptly, cutting through his thoughts. Then, her warm hand was replaced with a cold blade that punctured his stomach. "And you couldn't save me."

A gasp escaped the blonde's throat, too shocked to speak. He stumbled backwards, falling to the floor. When he looked up, he could no longer see Marinette nor Ladybug. The being that stood before him was merely a shell of who they were. Princess Justice.

Her appearance hadn't changed from their first encounter. The violet dress still adorned her figure. The white sash hung off her shoulder and down to her hip, stained with drops of his blood. Her thoughts were obscured from the world by the blindfold that covered her eyes. There was something different, though. Since the sword she carried was pierced through his body, she now held a black ring in her left hand. His miraculous. In all the chaos, he hadn't noticed his forced de-transformation. She must have pulled the ring off his finger when he had backed away.

Chat Noir was gone, leaving Adrien Agreste in his wake. Utterly powerless against her.

He scooted away from the akuma. It wasn't until his back bumped against the railing that he realized how trapped he was. However, she hadn't moved. She was a statue, completely still as she waited. But for what was she waiting for?

Then, the dark, criminal figure of Hawkmoth stepped out of the shadows and stood behind his akuma. He plucked the ring out of her hand, letting loose a maniacal laugh.

"Excellent work, Princess," The older man said, "You are the best akuma I have ever created." The words caused Adrien to stiffen. It disgusted him to hear the villain use the very same nickname he had given to Marinette. And how the villain had said she was his best akuma, when they had been trying so hard to defeat him, it didn't sit right in his stomach.

Princess Justice slightly turned her head towards the man before replying. "I live to serve you, Hawkmoth."

"Mari… Lady…" The boy grunted out. He thought that saying one of her names could possibly free her from the akuma, but he couldn't even muster up the energy to finish either.

However, he was able to catch her attention. She strolled over to him, each step more menacing than the last. When she reached his location, she seized onto her sword and twisted it deeper into his gut. A scream of pain forced it's way past his lips, loud enough for all of Paris to hear. But no one could save him.

Princess Justice got down on her knees so she was level with him. She leaned close, feeling her breath fan across his cheek. Her hands held onto the sides of his face, forcing him to look directly at her. The ties of her blindfold came undone, falling down to the ground. His eyes widened as he looked into her own as they were no longer blue, filled with the energy of life. Now they were grey, without a soul in sight.

She whispered, so low that he could barely hear, "I told you before, there is no more Marinette or Ladybug. There is only Princess Justice."

Then, the railing behind his back vanished, causing him to fall off the Eiffel Tower. He reached his hand out, hoping that Princess Justice wouldn't let him plummet to the ground. Yet all she did was stand and wrenched her sword out of his stomach. She didn't care whether he lived or died.

As Adrien descended to the ground, he took one last glimpse of Paris. The clouds that had started to float in the sky had once again disappeared. The cheers of people were now replaced with the lifeless streets. The color that painted the buildings was now draining down into the sewer. There was truly nothing to behold about the city.

The isolation crept back into the body. The demon had never left, only tamed by the girl he loved.

Just as his boy crashed into the cement, Adrien awoke with a shout. "NOOOOOO!" He sat up to discover he was no longer at the Eiffel Tower, but in the school's locker room instead. He grabbed his heart, a vain attempt to slow it's pace down. He could feel the sweat dripping down his face.

He was made aware of the other occupants in the room as one spoke up. "Adrikins… are you alright?" It was Chloe, startled by his yell.

Without looking, he replied, "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine."

It was just a dream. A terrible nightmare.

* * *

Hey guys! I know it's been awhile since I've updated this story. To be honest, I didn't know what to do with this chapter at all. Like, everything that was written down was not in the game plan. But I figure it had been a while since we've seen Princess Justice herself, so why not make Adrien angst about it. Also, I wanted to get this out before my birthday, but with all the craziness in the world right now, I frankly lost the time. So I'm uploading minutes before the end of March, lol.

Also, I would like to address something. So I post this story on AO3 as well and I've gotten some comments about Adrien knowing some of the miraculous users. To be honest, when I was writing this story, I kinda forgot he knew some of them. Like, I didn't know about Kagami since I hadn't seen Ikari Gozen until the rest of season 3 got upload onto Netflix. And I'm not sure if he knows about Kim. But I did know about Luka and Max. Sometimes I forget canonical order of the episodes when I'm writing this story, but it is a mistake on my part. However, even if I had remember, I don't think I would have included them. I don't want that many characters know Marinette's secret, I think the core four and Hawkmoth knowing is just enough. Also, I don't feel comfortable writing too many characters. Like, seven miraculous users is a lot and I just want to keep it more simple. But it is still a mistake nonetheless. I just wanted to clear up some confusion.

Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed!


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